Ticking Time Bomb
by PurpleNurpleSPN
Summary: Sylar is trapped in the form of Nathan Petrelli. Angela and Noah may believe it was for the greater good, but there are consequences to erasing and changing a serial killer to become your son. Consequences like insanity.
1. Chapter 1

Nathan Petrelli sat back into the leather chair, and yet he didn't feel comfortable in the slightest. He felt restless. Tired. Discontent. He knew something was wrong, but he just couldn't place it. Nothing in his life was devastatingly wrong, nothing he couldn't and hasn't already handled. But this nagging feeling of worry was different, it wasn't something he could instantly pinpoint.

Nathan reached up and rubbed his temples. This headache wasn't helping things, and that damn ticking! The small ticking he heard came from the watch on his wrist, and at first he thought it was from there his head ache began. But his wrist watch worked fine and he realized somewhere in the room there was clock ticking but it was seconds off. He paused for a moment and thought to himself.

When had he ever cared about damn clocks before?

Standing he walked over to one of the cabinets lining his office. There it wait was a nice clock, but irritating. Nathan had thought he had fixed it by moving the minute hand before when Angela-- .

No. No that was wrong. It was **Ma**.

That was another thing he noticed that was strange. He continued to refer to Ma as Angela or Petrelli or even Mother in his head and then forced himself to correct it. It used to just be Ma...now it came with a force of his mind to stay on routine.

Anyways, Ma came of his office to take him out to lunch a few weeks ago, and at the time he was irritated with the fact that the clock in his office was off by a minute and a half. He wasn't worrying about his senatorial duties...no he was worried about a fucking clock.

Shaking his head he reached out and took of the glass covering the clock. He picked it up and brought it to his desk. Why is it not working properly? He continued to wonder as he leaned over the clock. It was five minutes fast now. Sighing he leaned over it, ready to attempt to take it apart if necessary. Nathan had never fixed anything as complicated as a clock before.

Looking down into the mirror-like clock face, he saw his reflection. He blinked a few times confused, and startled. It wasn't his face that stared back it him.

It was Sylar's.

Sylar stared at him just as confused until a slow smirk came upon his lips.

"Tick...Tock."

Deep with in his aching mind Nathan heard the unmistakable drawl with a sense of panic. He stood, the clock grasped within his hands and he threw it hard against the cold marble floor. The clock shattered apart, it's different pieces slid across the floor.

He turned towards the mirror on the adjacent wall. He reached up and his fingers grazed over his cheeks, his eyes, his nose, anything they could reach. It was all his. So what the hell did he see? Was he delusional? Lack of sleep? But then he heard the deep voice of Sylar return in his mind,

"Really now Nathan was that necessary? That was a very nice piece after all."

**A/N:** This is my first Heroes fanfic. Give meh some feed back, it would be very much appreciated. =D Oh btw...I love Sylar. I wish this wasn't so short but oh well thing of it as a taste of what could come.


	2. Chapter 2

"The more you lose the less you see,

so close your eyes and start to breathe,

Oh you said yourself, this wasn't easy. "

- Imogen Heap ~ Canvas

Nathan Petrelli pretended to work. He pretended only for the fact his eyes continued to stray from the important documents that he needed to read. His eyes strayed to focus on the broken pieces of clock that lingered in a pile on the corner of his desk. It had been two weeks since the _incident. _He refused to call it anything else. At the time he thought he was just delusional from lack of sleep, or worse going insane.

That night alone in his office Nathan had _thought_ he had heard Sylar speaking to him. But it was only a thought, or a delusion, and he refused to think of it has anything more. Well he tried, but something kept clicking inside of him slowly, as if waiting to burst out and tell him he was in denial of the truth right in front of his eyes.

Especially the nightmares, if that meant that anything. They had just started recently, but he would wake up upset and confused. They caused a deep fear within him, an unexplainable fear. Nathan was driven to the point where he would wake up with his skin boiling, dripping with sweat and the urge to weep. His eyes filled with bewilderment quickly scanned over his body, his shaking hands running over his aching flesh. Just to be sure.

Just to be sure he was all there; that nothing was out of place. And finally he would stare hard at his hands, making sure blood did not stain the tips.

"I'll be leaving for the night Mr. Petrelli is there anything else you need?" Amelia, his secretary, watched him from the door with a hint of concern in her deep blue eyes. "Are you alright?"

Nathan looked up at her, feeling a bead of sweat roll down his neck. He turned towards the mirror against the wall. He was pale under his fake tan, and a light sheen of sweat covered his face. He looked unhealthy. Nathan turned back to Amelia and smiled.

"I'm feeling great. Have a nice night." his smile grew wider, and his face felt like it would chip into pieces.

Amelia smiled back, "Well don't stay too late, sir. And if you don't mind me saying, I suggest you head home. You look as if you may have picked up the flu. Especially with this weather, I wouldn't be surprised." She nodded towards his window gesturing at the early layer of snow that was beginning to settle upon the city.

"I just may head home after I finish reading these last few pages. Thank you for the concern, I'll see you tomorrow." Nathan smiled faltered the second her back had turned with one last good bye.

Nathan sat back in his chair, his eyes closed, trying to clear his mind. But slowly, that almost silent ticking he heard entered his mind. It was constant and overwhelming once he realized its existence. His eyes shot open and almost automatically drifted to the broken clock.

He had wanted to throw away the damaged clock. The clock no longer worked after what he had done to it. He also got rid of his watch, and any other faces of time that he could discard. It was a distraction, a constant reminder of what stress, fatigue, and possible insanity can do. Nathan wanted to forget it ever existed. But something made him hesitate from throwing it away.

A part of him still believed he could fix it.

* * *

Nathan sat in the back of the heated limo. His head rested against the firm leather seat, as his eyes stayed squeezed shut, until finally he called out to the limo driver to pull over. He needed out. Terribly. He wanted the cold. As the limo parked beside the curb, Nathan roughly swung the door open, and jumped out. He began walking away after calling inside to inform the driver he could go on without him.

The cold air that filled his lungs felt so good. Yet he still felt so _constrained_. Nathan adjusted his expensive gray winter jacket for he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as he walked the chilly streets of New York. It was close to 20 degrees and he felt unbearably hot, if that made any sense. The jacket that served decently well at times like these caused him to feel worse. So rather then look like a fool for taking off his jacket in the middle of a snow storm, he decided to pull off the scarf that was tucked within.

Still as it hung uselessly around his neck, the heat didn't subside. Instead it steadily grew higher. Nathan walked faster now. First a creak came from his left knee and then a resounding snapping noise came from the opposite leg. It sounded as if something had broken. Nathan felt panic, and could only think of two things. All he wanted was to find a bench and sit down to investigate his legs. All he wanted to was to take off the thick jacket. He limped his way into one of the deserted parks, nothing but the half moon and the snow for company. After all it past one by now, and a snow storm was under way.

He sat down and ripped open his jacket, the buttons popping off, and dropping into the thick white snow. He sighed in relief.

But it wasn't enough.

Next the suit jacket came off, then the tie, and finally his white collared shirt. He shredded it with no other care but to be free of it. He took a deep heavy breath. The heat that radiated off him caused the snow that fell to never have a chance. It melted an inch before it could even touch his bare skin.

Then slowly it began the overwhelming pain. Blood pumped in his ears, and the ticking grew louder with each pump. With every twitch of pain his head pounded again and again. But he could still hear his bones creaking. Cracking. Breaking. Rebuilding. The agony he felt was unbearable, and all he wanted to do was black out. To run, to forget what he was watching his body do. It was morphing. Slowly, painfully, morphing into something he wasn't.

As it began to end, the ticking dimmed, and the convulsions slowed. So finally Nathan could hear him. He could hear the inner monologue that was not his own going through his head.

_"I figured I might make an appearance. After all...I've been feeling a bit...hungry." _

Then everything finally went black.

* * *

A/N So not a whole lot of Sylar exactly. But I can't wait to keep going. The two reviews really made my day. Thank you. Especially Voldemort- Coolest Badguy EVER since you motivated me to continue. I'm really one of those people that adores getting reviews in order to feel that the story is worth continuing. So not to sound like a R&R wh*re, but please…R&R. And thanks!!

P.S: I love ZQ too! =D


	3. Chapter 3

**"Beneath your thick skin,**

**There must have been a creature**

**Controlling you like a marionette robot.**

**Or else how could you have said those things?**

**Or else how could you have stopped your heart?"**

**- Say Hi To Your Mom ~ The Death of Girl Number Two**

Nathan Petrelli rolled over onto his stomach, and pulled one of the soft pillows closer to his body**. **He stretched then smiled before rolling back over on to his back. He felt amazing. Throwing off the silk sheets he rose, and headed for the bathroom humming a tune he couldn't quite place but was a pleasant one so he didn't mind it. Nathan began his morning routine, and just couldn't keep the smile off his face.

He wanted to question his good mood, but why ruin it? He hadn't felt like this for a long time, and really he just wanted to enjoy it. Nathan walked over to his closet, got dressed in his best blue suit and got ready for the day ahead. Even the stressful Senatorial duties actually sounded great to him right now. Nathan looked forward to them.

He took the elevator, and smiled at everyone he passed. Nathan walked out of the apartment building, the door man giving him an odd look, before putting on a quick smile. The sun was shining down on him, and the thin dust of snow that coated the side walk was a pleasant sign of winter. He honestly couldn't get enough of this day, and he didn't care why.

After a few moments of looking around he felt a dent in his good mood. Where the hell was the limo? He looked down at his watch only to end up staring at his wrist. He remembered he hadn't worn a watch since the _incident_. How stupid of him really, how could he possibly work and get things done without knowing the time?

Nathan rarely had any patience, and though it was a bit today because he was in a pleasant mood, it didn't mean much. He hailed down a cab, and headed to his office. He was going to chew the driver out next time he saw him.

* * *

**"**Mr. Petrelli?!" One of his workers practically yelled his name in the shock of seeing him as he walked into the office. _What the hell? _He continued forward, ready to ask Amelia what the hell happened in the last 10 hours since he'd been gone to cause everyone to turn away and whisper, but instead a semi-attractive but mousy brunette sat in her place. The mousy woman's eyes widened as he approached and she quickly began to dial the phone, gripping the phone close to her ear.

"Mrs. Petrelli? Yes, this is Brenda. I'm calling because Mr. Petrelli, your son has arrived. Yes...alright. I'll tell him. Good bye." Brenda looked up and smiled. "Mrs. Petrelli will be here in a few moments. How are you sir?" Her eyes shifted towards the door for a split second before returning his gaze once more.

"Fine...Where's Amelia?" Brenda's eyes shifted again at his response.

"We aren't sure actually sir, she disappeared about 2 weeks ago. Around the same time as you did. So we all figured well...,"

"Well what?"

"That you two had gone on some romantic vacation," Brenda said it in a rush, and Nathan's eyes were set in glare. Noticing this, Brenda quickly responded. "Your mother confirmed it so I--we didn't...ummm. Oh there is Mrs. Petrelli now. I'll-I'll be back." Brenda scurried off, far from Nathan's tight lips and piercing eyes.

He turned to see Ma walking towards him, striding faster then usual. She brushed past him and opened the door to his office. Angela...no, Ma quietly spoke, "Coming?" before continuing into the office without his reply.

Nathan walked in and shut the door behind him just as Angela's hand slapped him hard across the face.

"Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I was, and how much I had to cover for your sudden disappearing act, you stupid boy?" Angela's voice came out in a hiss, as a stunned Nathan stared back at her.

"That mousy new secretary had said the same thing. That I've been gone for two weeks? Now you're saying it!"

"What's the last thing you remember?" She stared at him with an intensity that made him pause in confusion. Why was she acting like this?

"Why?"

"Just tell me!" Her eyes scanned his face over and over again, searching for something.

"I remember being here until past midnight. Saying good bye to Amelia, and then...lots of snow. There was a snow storm." As Nathan tried to remember his head began to throb. A migraine?

Angela pointed to the window behind his desk.

"If there was snow storm...where is it? There's only a thin layer of dust right now...."

The pain in his head increased and as Nathan's eyes stayed on his mother's lips there was no audio coming forth. She was talking but he couldn't hear it anymore? What? Slowly his eye sight began to blur before it began to drift into darkness, and he wanted to move or say something but he couldn't. Everything then faded into black. But Nathan heard one last thing before his "slumber".

_"Let me handle this Nathan. It's better then you fucking this whole thing up."_

* * *

Nathan blinked once, then twice. He was looking in the direction of the window, and the sun's rays that filtered through the thin curtains burned his eyes for a moment. Thin curtains? His eyes roamed the room, and he realized that this wasn't his apartment on the top floor of one of the most expensive buildings in New York. Panic began to grip him.

Even more so as he realized there was something far worse happening then waking up somewhere he was unfamiliar with. His body began to move without his accord. He tried to move his head, his arms, his fingers, and even his eye lids, but nothing would function.

His body rose from the bed, and he seemed to be taller up then normal, it was only a few inches but it was noticable. His body moved in an odd way, more seductive, more like a strut. He entered the bathroom. His eyes became focused on the mirror, and he could see. His face was no longer that of himself, of Nathan Petrelli. He began to scream. All he wanted was out of this fucking nightmare.

His lips...no Sylar's lips opened with a sigh, and he stopped washing his face to look sharply into the mirror.

"Oh shut up will you? And they call you a man of the people? A hero? Pathetic. Unfortunately you're able to be awake, but you're a part of me now, and it's time you realized that. A part of me, not the other way around. After all...your dead. So shut the hell up." A smirk was the last thing Nathan saw before his body, now Sylar's walked out and into one of the adjacent rooms.

It was dark, no windows. It wasn't small enough to be a closet, but not big enough to be like one of Ma's walk in closets he had played in. Then Sylar's hand rose, his palm opened, and Nathan could suddenly feel it.

Electricity surged through his body then began to take shape. Small lightening bolts swirled into an orb that floated from Sylar's hand to above his head. The room was illuminated by it's blue intensity, and he could finally see for which he was thankful for. Until he saw what laid before him.

His beautiful young secretary Amelia was chained to a chair, her mouth stuffed with cloth. Her blue eyes stared back at him with fear. Black mascara turned her tears into black drops that streaked her face. It was a sickening sight. But his stomach twitched. With butterflies. With excitement. It wasn't his excitement though was it?

"Nathan. I can't get rid of you. You have the life I want, but still I don't want you around while I live it. Even with my mind healed it doesn't stop you from existing. You've ingrained yourself inside of me. I wasn't sure exactly if it was because of this bitch over here." He pointed at the alarmed Amelia. " Angela and Bennett planned this out well, and got her as your new secretary. Do you know why? Did you know she has an interesting ability? She can cause you to forget anything if she shifts through your mind by even just standing in close proximity with someone. With the help of Matt Parkman, it was a cinch to put me away for awhile."

Sylar moved towards her chair, both of his hands gripped the armrests of it as his lips came inches from her ear.

"Did you really think you could keep me out of the picture forever?" He moved back to face her, and he just stared at her. The look on his face perplexed Amelia, and Nathan could see it in her expressive eyes. He was confused as well.

"You know Amelia...you look very similar to this girl I'm interested in. Though I highly doubt you're as...durable as she is, but I'm always willing to test that if you are." With a few quick movements Sylar pulled out the cloth. Before she could utter a sound, he had leaned in and pressed his lips against hers softly, the tenderness a surprise. The warmth sending a gentle throb down his body in all the right places was not. Nathan felt sick for the fact he could feel Sylar getting off on this. Getting off on what he was about to do.

After a few moments, with a smile on his face he pulled back from her, and Amelia looked at Sylar astonished before realizing she should be screaming, and as she opened her mouth to do so, he placed the cloth right back in.

"I promise...this won't hurt." Sylar smirked, "Much." It was with that, that Nathan realized he was truly trapped. No matter how hard he tried to take control.

Trapped within his own mind...and forced to watch.

Watch as Amelia began to scream so loudly it could be heard through the cloth that gagged her. The appearance of huge gashes across her skin in an erratic pattern starled Nathan. They had appeared beneath her clothing, but it was obvious what they were from the blood that stained her strachy white blouse, and the appearance of two upon her once gorgeous face. Blood began to seep through her clothing and drip down to the floor. Finally her eyes became vacant, her body limp, just as the horrifying crunch noise that came from her skull being cut open began.

Nathan screamed once more. He began to cry inside of the cage that was his...no Sylar's mind? He didn't care, he just wanted out. He wanted his life back.

Sylar spoke once more, mocking him. "Oh Nathaniel...if you can't handle this I suggest you go put on your big boy pants because when I'm done...we'll be knee deep in blood."

* * *

**A/N: **So I'm sitting here going oh...my...god *SQUEEEE* I love reviews. They motivate me. Oh FlamingBiscuits, I adore you for saying it's astounding. And TulippyJane, I'm so happy I made you laugh. And yes I saw Star Trek 3 times as well. *gives high five* GO ZQ!

Okay so who's happy that Sylar has made his appearance? I just couldn't keep myself from not letting him. And I've decided to keep with the sort of demonic possession feel to the Nathan Sylar switch off. Now if you've watched Supernatural you'll know what I'm talking about. And for Sylar it's fitting...haha! Still it's a bit hard to write because its like "who's body is what and what possessive noun for who, is this okay? wait URGH!" If it's a bit confusing please tell me. Cause I'm writing and I'm even confused. XD

Anywhoooo, thanks for reading! As you can see, the more reviews, the more I'll write. So please give me some motivation eh? XD


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